County population in 2016: 9,237 (39% urban, 61% rural); it was 10,147 in 2000County owner-occupied with a mortgage or a loan houses and condos in 2010: 1,540 County owner-occupied free and clear houses and condos in 2010: 1,416 County owner-occupied houses and condos in 2000: 3,048 Renter-occupied apartments: 1,038 (it was 1,071 in 2000)
% of renters here:
26%
State:
28%
Land area: 564 sq. mi.
Water area: 5.6 sq. mi.
Population density: 16 people per square mile (low).
Mar. 2016 cost of living index in Palo Alto County: 83.3 (low, U.S. average is 100)
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2016: $1,219 (1.3%) Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2016: $1,348 (1.5%)
Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2016: 8.7%
Palo Alto County:
8.7%
Iowa:
11.8%
(8.5% for White Non-Hispanic residents, 11.9% for Black residents, 9.9% for Hispanic or Latino residents, 23.4% for two or more races residents)
Median age of residents in 2016: 42.6 years old
(Males: 39.8 years old, Females: 45.5 years old)
(Median age for: White residents: 44.4 years old, Black residents: 26.8 years old, American Indian residents: 68.5 years old, Asian residents: 31.1 years old, Hispanic or Latino residents: 27.4 years old, Other race residents: 24.0 years old)
Fair market rent in 2006 for a 1-bedroom apartment in Palo Alto County is $377 a month. Fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $498 a month. Fair market rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $610 a month.
Current college students: 591 People 25 years of age or older with a high school degree or higher: 93.2% People 25 years of age or older with a bachelor's degree or higher: 23.0%
Number of foreign born residents: 218 (11.5% naturalized citizens)
Palo Alto County:
2.4%
Whole state:
5.1%
Year of entry for the foreign-born population
2010 or later: 135
2000 to 2009: 46
1990 to 1999: 16
1980 to 1989: 9
1970 to 1979: 2
Before 1970: 41
Note: State values scaled to Palo Alto County population
Mean travel time to work (commute): 15.5 minutes
Percentage of county residents living and working in this county: 75.3%
Housing units in structures:
One, detached: 3,867
One, attached: 9
Two: 84
3 or 4: 171
5 to 9: 187
10 to 19: 81
20 to 49: 168
50 or more: 9
Mobile homes: 91
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.: 18
Housing units in Palo Alto County with a mortgage: 1,492 (28 second mortgage, 88 home equity loan, 18 both second mortgage and home equity loan) Houses without a mortgage: 1,375
Here:
50.0% with mortgage
State:
60.6% with mortgage
Religion statistics for Palo Alto County
Religion
Adherents
Congregations
Mainline Protestant
3,008
12
Catholic
2,798
7
Evangelical Protestant
1,444
9
Other
-
-
None
2,171
-
Palo Alto County Religion Details
Source: Clifford Grammich, Kirk Hadaway, Richard Houseal, Dale E.Jones, Alexei Krindatch, Richie Stanley and Richard H.Taylor. 2012. 2010 U.S.Religion Census: Religious Congregations & Membership Study. Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. Jones, Dale E., et al. 2002. Congregations and Membership in the United States 2000. Nashville, TN: Glenmary Research Center.
Food Environment Statistics:
Number of grocery stores: 5
Palo Alto County:
5.30 / 10,000 pop.
State:
2.14 / 10,000 pop.
Number of convenience stores (with gas): 7
Palo Alto County:
7.43 / 10,000 pop.
Iowa:
5.55 / 10,000 pop.
Number of full-service restaurants: 9
This county:
9.55 / 10,000 pop.
State:
8.01 / 10,000 pop.
Adult diabetes rate:
Palo Alto County:
9.0%
Iowa:
7.8%
Adult obesity rate:
Palo Alto County:
27.3%
State:
27.3%
Low-income preschool obesity rate:
Here:
9.7%
State:
14.5%
Agriculture in Palo Alto County:
Average size of farms: 417 acres Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $244,070 Average value of crops sold per acre for harvested cropland: $256.25 The value of livestock, poultry, and their products as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 60.71% Average total farm production expenses per farm: $207,907 Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 89.63% Irrigated harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 1.17% Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $114,313 The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 82.38% Average age of principal farm operators: 55 years Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 5.51 Milk cows as a percentage of all cattle and calves: 1.90% Corn for grain: 151397 harvested acres Soybeans for beans: 136241 harvested acres Vegetables: 273 harvested acres
Earthquake activity:
Palo Alto County-area historical earthquake activity is near Iowa state average. It is 79% smaller than the overall U.S. average.
On 7/9/1975 at 14:54:15, a magnitude 4.6 (4.6 MB, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 190.5 miles away from Palo Alto County center On 3/4/1983 at 06:32:18, a magnitude 4.6 (4.4 MB, 4.6 LG, 4.4 ML) earthquake occurred 248.6 miles away from the county center On 11/3/2002 at 20:41:56, a magnitude 4.3 (4.3 MB, 4.3 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 214.2 miles away from the county center On 6/5/1993 at 01:24:53, a magnitude 4.1 (4.1 LG, Depth: 6.2 mi) earthquake occurred 195.5 miles away from the county center On 10/25/1990 at 06:25:25, a magnitude 3.9 (3.6 MB, 3.9 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: II - III) earthquake occurred 196.1 miles away from Palo Alto County center On 2/6/1996 at 15:10:28, a magnitude 3.6 (3.6 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 150.2 miles away from the county center Magnitude types: regional Lg-wave magnitude (LG), body-wave magnitude (MB), local magnitude (ML)
Most recent natural disasters:
Iowa Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding, Incident Period: June 14, 2014 to June 24, 2014, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-4184: July 24, 2014, FEMA Id: 4184, Natural disaster type: Storm, Tornado, Flood, Wind
Iowa Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding, Incident Period: May 19, 2013 to June 15, 2013, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-4126: July 02, 2013, FEMA Id: 4126, Natural disaster type: Storm, Tornado, Flood
Iowa Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes, Incident Period: June 01, 2010 to August 31, 2010, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1930: July 29, 2010, FEMA Id: 1930, Natural disaster type: Storm, Tornado, Flood
Iowa Severe Winter Storms, Incident Period: January 19, 2010 to January 26, 2010, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1880: March 02, 2010, FEMA Id: 1880, Natural disaster type: Winter Storm
Iowa Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm, Incident Period: December 23, 2009 to December 27, 2009, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1877: February 25, 2010, FEMA Id: 1877, Natural disaster type: Snowstorm, Winter Storm
Iowa Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding, Incident Period: May 25, 2008 to August 13, 2008, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1763: May 27, 2008, FEMA Id: 1763, Natural disaster type: Storm, Tornado, Flood
Iowa Severe Storms and Flooding, Incident Period: August 17, 2007 to September 05, 2007, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1727: September 14, 2007, FEMA Id: 1727, Natural disaster type: Storm, Flood
Iowa Snow, Incident Period: February 28, 2007 to March 02, 2007, Emergency Declared EM-3275: March 30, 2007, FEMA Id: 3275, Natural disaster type: Snow
Iowa Hurricane Katrina Evacuation, Incident Period: August 29, 2005 to October 01, 2005, Emergency Declared EM-3239: September 10, 2005, FEMA Id: 3239, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Iowa Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding, Incident Period: May 19, 2004 to June 24, 2004, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1518: May 25, 2004, FEMA Id: 1518, Natural disaster type: Storm, Tornado, Flood
7 other natural disasters have been reported since 1953.
The number of natural disasters in Palo Alto County (17) is greater than the US average (13). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 15 Emergencies Declared: 2
Causes of natural disasters: Floods: 12, Storms: 8, Tornadoes: 6, Winter Storms: 2, Heavy Rain: 1, Hurricane: 1, Ice Storm: 1, Snow: 1, Snowstorm: 1, Wind: 1 (Note: Some incidents may be assigned to more than one category).
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (7%)
Material moving occupations (7%)
Office and administrative support occupations (24%)
Education, training, and library occupations (11%)
Management occupations (8%)
Sales and related occupations (8%)
Food preparation and serving related occupations (7%)
Health diagnosing and treating practitioners and other technical occupations (7%)
Healthcare support occupations (7%)
Most common places of birth for the foreign-born residents (%):
Other Middle Africa (47%)
Mexico (24%)
Philippines (10%)
Norway (5%)
Other Eastern Africa (5%)
Thailand (4%)
Ethiopia (4%)
Most common first ancestries reported in Palo Alto County (%):
German (44%)
American (9%)
Irish (9%)
Norwegian (8%)
English (4%)
African (3%)
European (3%)
Means of transportation to work:
Drove a car alone: 3,611 (81.8%)
Carpooled: 410 (9.3%)
Bus or trolley bus: 16 (0.4%)
Ferryboat: 22 (0.5%)
Taxicab, motorcycle, or other means: 22 (0.5%)
Bicycle: 6 (0.1%)
Walked: 215 (4.9%)
Worked at home: 121 (2.7%)
Breakdown of mean house values by ages of householders ($)
People in group quarters in Palo Alto County, Iowa in 2000:
213 people in nursing homes
90 people in college dormitories (includes college quarters off campus)
42 people in hospitals/wards and hospices for chronically ill
42 people in hospices or homes for chronically ill
40 people in homes for the mentally retarded
10 people in unknown juvenile institutions
6 people in local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups)
People in group quarters in Palo Alto County, Iowa in 2010:
196 people in nursing facilities/skilled-nursing facilities
144 people in college/university student housing
4 people in local jails and other municipal confinement facilities
Average gross adjusted income of non-migrant taxpayers in this county in 2010 was $50,130.
5.66% of this county's 2011 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2010 ($31,288 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
5.66%
Iowa average:
5.75%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved from foreign countries.
3.87% relocated from other counties in Iowa ($21,371 average AGI)
1.80% relocated from other states ($9,917 average AGI)
Palo Alto County:
1.80%
Iowa average:
2.41%
Percentage of residents relocating from other counties or countries
Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2010 and 2011:
6.00% of this county's 2010 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2011 ($34,665 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
6.00%
Iowa average:
5.94%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved to foreign countries.
4.07% relocated to other counties in Iowa ($21,913 average AGI)
1.93% relocated to other states ($12,752 average AGI)
Palo Alto County:
1.93%
Iowa average:
2.60%
Percentage of residents relocating to other counties or countries
Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2010 and 2011:
Births per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 10.2 Births per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 11.6
Births per 1000 population in Palo Alto County
Deaths per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 13.6 Deaths per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 13.1 Deaths per 1000 population from 2007 to 2014: 13.9
Deaths per 1000 population in Palo Alto County
Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 1990 to 1999: 11.6 Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 2000 to 2006: 4.8
Infant deaths per 1000 live births in Palo Alto County
Population without health insurance coverage in 2013: 9.1% Persons under 19 years old without health insurance coverage in 2013: 4.5%
Percentage of population without health insurance coverage in Palo Alto County
Percentage of population without health insurance coverage in Palo Alto County
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare) in July 1, 2007: 2,119 (1,880 aged, 239 disabled) Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2007: 62 (3%)
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)
Aged persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)
Disabled persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)
Most common underlying causes of death in Palo Alto County, Iowa in 1999 - 2014:
Atherosclerotic heart disease (145)
Acute myocardial infarction, unspecified (140)
Bronchus or lung, unspecified - Malignant neoplasms (110)
Stroke, not specified as haemorrhage or infarction (91)
Alzheimer's disease, unspecified (88)
Chronic ischaemic heart disease, unspecified (47)
Colon, unspecified - Malignant neoplasms (40)
Malignant neoplasm of prostate (40)
Population without health insurance coverage in 2000: 9% Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2000: 8%
Short term general hospitals per 100,000 population in 2004: 10.23 Short term general hospital admissions per 100,000 population in 2004: 8,069 Short term general hospital beds per 100,000 population in 2004: 481 Emergency room visits per 100,000 population in 2004: 74,146
General practice office based MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 1,186 Medical specialist MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 1,650 Dentists per 100,000 population in 1998: 21
Total births per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006 : 20 Total deaths per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006: 83
Limited-service eating places per 100,000 population in 2005 : 10
Household type by relationship:
Households: 9,237
In family households: 7,154 (1,302 male householders, 1,128 female householders)
2,037 spouses, 2,407 children (2,276 natural, 48 adopted, 84 stepchildren), 37 grandchildren, 8 brothers or sisters, 28 parents, 57 other relatives, 130 non-relatives
In nonfamily households: 1,731 (704 male householders (584 living alone)), 758 female householders (655 living alone)), 267 nonrelatives
In group quarters: 351
Size of family households: 1,365 2-persons, 426 3-persons, 310 4-persons, 232 5-persons, 71 6-persons, 25 7-or-more-persons.
1,494 married couples with children.
504 single-parent households (165 men, 339 women).
96.7% of residents of Palo Alto speak English at home.
1.9% of residents speak Spanish at home (49% speak English very well, 35% speak English well, 10% speak English not well, 6% don't speak English at all).
0.8% of residents speak other Indo-European language at home (52% speak English very well, 46% speak English well, 1% speak English not well).
0.4% of residents speak Asian or Pacific Island language at home (85% speak English very well, 9% speak English well, 6% speak English not well).
0.3% of residents speak other language at home (37% speak English very well, 63% speak English well).
In fiscal year 2004:
Federal Government expenditure: $76,525,000 ($7,826 per capita) Department of Defense expenditure: $925,000 Federal direct payments to individuals for retirement and disability: $29,716,000 Federal other direct payments to individuals: $13,965,000 Federal direct payments not to individuals: $13,807,000 Federal grants: $15,831,000 Federal procurement contracts: $599,000 ($0,000 Department of Defense) Federal salaries and wages: $2,606,000 ($0,000 Department of Defense) Federal Government direct loans: $1,267,000 Federal guaranteed/insured loans: $1,499,000 Federal Government insurance: $66,343,000
Population change from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005:
Births: 583
Here:
60 per 1000 residents
State:
66 per 1000 residents
Deaths: 690
Here:
71 per 1000 residents
State:
48 per 1000 residents
Net international migration: +28
Here:
+3 per 1000 residents
State:
+10 per 1000 residents
Net internal migration: -356
Here:
-37 per 1000 residents
State:
-14 per 1000 residents
Population growth in Palo Alto County
Total withdrawal of fresh water for public supply: 1.06 millions of gallons per day (all from ground)
Median number of rooms in houses and condos:
Here:
7.0
State:
6.7
Median number of rooms in apartments:
Here:
4.2
State:
4.2
Year house built
2014 or later: 11
2010 to 2013: 31
2000 to 2009: 239
1990 to 1999: 286
1980 to 1989: 265
1970 to 1979: 720
1960 to 1969: 506
1950 to 1959: 567
1940 to 1949: 415
1939 or earlier: 1,552
Note: State values scaled to Palo Alto population
Rooms in houses/apartments in Palo Alto County, Iowa
Note: State values scaled to Palo Alto County population
no vehicle: 45
1 vehicle: 598
2 vehicles: 1,352
3 vehicles: 549
4 vehicles: 247
5+ vehicles: 76
no vehicle: 96
1 vehicle: 563
2 vehicles: 256
3 vehicles: 69
4 vehicles: 35
5+ vehicles: 6
86% of Palo Alto County residents lived in the same house 1 years ago. Out of people who lived in different houses, 30% lived in this county. Out of people who lived in different counties, 81% lived in Iowa.
Palo Alto County:
86.3%
State average:
84.7%
Place of birth for U.S.-born residents:
This state: 7,118
Other state: 1,873
Northeast: 123
Midwest: 1,191
South: 246
West: 311
Year Householders Moved Into Unit
Most commonly used house heating fuel in Palo Alto County
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42.6 years
38.0 years
(49.9%)
(50.1%)
, Josephine County, Oregon 
, Genesee County, New York 
